I Know What I Know
by atrosie
Summary: He doesn't want to give up his space, doesn't want to lose the one place where he can be himself. Zackcentric, sequel to Winner Takes it All.


**I Know What I Know**

By: atrosie

Rating: PG-13/T (language)

Spoilers: Everything up to "The Woman in the Garden"

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it. The title belongs to Paul Simon.

A/N: This is the first story in the "Diamond Series." It helps to have read "The Winner Takes it All," though it's not necessary.

Huge thanks to my beta readers: Gracie Lou and MintEspresso. They made it better than I ever could.

This entire series goes out to the citizens of Woodward and Perry, Iowa, and the members of Crossroads Church for their amazing help this summer. I would have lost my mind a lot sooner, were it not for them. Thanks, guys – you all rock!

**I Know What I Know**

_She looked me over,  
And I guess she thought  
I was all right.  
All right in a sort of a limited way,  
For an off-night._

_I Know What I Know_ by Paul Simon

Zack gets his first clue that something is wrong when he gets in the car. The radio is blaring country instead of an AM station, and Hodgins' normal grunt of greeting is subdued.

They spend the drive to work listening to Kenny Chesney and Shania Twain, and even the screams of a woman winning five thousand dollars generates no reaction. By the time they've parked and gone through security, Zack knows it's something big. While Hodgins heads to his office to feed his bugs, Zack heads to Angela's, deciding that a warning is in order.

He spends the morning working on his thesis, and he barely looks up when Dr. Brennan and Angela leave for lunch. He doesn't realize that Hodgins is there until the man clears his throat, and when he jumps and knocks over several papers without generating a laugh, he begins to really wonder. Where has the real Hodgins gone, and who's occupying his body?

"Lunch?" the other man finally says, not meeting his eyes. Zack quickly agrees, and they head out to the Mini.

On the way to the restaurant, Hodgins' cell rings. Trying to ignore the ringtone (Brad Paisley's 'Celebrity'), Zack tunes the conversation out. Mostly.

"He what? Dammit! Did they – They did? Okay then. Yes. Yes. Yeah – I'm working on that." He glances quickly at Zack, and there's something like fear in his eyes. "Just … you know. Okay. Bye."

He hangs up and pulls the earpiece out, dropping it in the center console. They spend the rest of the drive in relative silence, random mutterings from Hodgins aside.

The restaurant is one of those fancy ones he rarely goes to. Twelve-dollar sandwiches, that type of thing. He hopes Hodgins is paying, because he sure as hell can't afford this place, not on his budget.

They are seated quickly, and after they order drinks, he watches as Hodgins fidgets, folding and unfolding his napkin, moving the silverware around. For a second he feels like Alice down the rabbit hole – Hodgins never fidgets.

He wants to say something, wants to call attention to this oddity, but something stops him. Maybe it's just the whole package – the odd silences, the weird muttering, the phone call in the car, the fidgeting. Or maybe it's just the look in Hodgins' eyes.

The waitress finally brings their drinks, and after she takes their orders, Hodgins breaks the dam.

"I need a favor," he says, looking up from his napkin (it's now a swan – Zack has to admit he's impressed) and meeting his eyes.

"A favor," Zack replies. Hodgins is smart, rich, and good-looking – what sort of favor does he need from Zack?

"Yeah, a favor," Hodgins repeats, blue eyes boring into his. Zack almost sees the fear again, but then Hodgins is back to folding the napkin.

"My cousin is moving back to town, and she needs a place to stay for awhile. I was kinda hoping … that she could stay with you."

For a second, Zack can't think of anything to say. All he can do is stare at the napkin (now resembling a crane, though he can't be sure) and try to think.

He's discovered that he likes living alone. There's no pressure on keeping the place clean or explaining his whereabouts; he can be himself when he's alone.

"Why can't she stay with you?" he finally asks. Hodgins does live in a mansion, after all.

The other man looks uncomfortable. "It's complicated, Zack," he says.

Zack wants to know why. If he's expected to let some rich girl live with him, some debutante who'll make fun of his hair and his robots and his DVD collection, he wants answers. He wants a damn good explanation, and even if he isn't a doctor – yet – he deserves one.

Hodgins must realize this, because his expression goes from uncomfortable to sympathetic. Before he can say anything, though, the waitress comes back with their lunch.

Hodgins digs in, eating like a man starved. Zack can only pick at his sandwich, because he has a feeling that, like it or no, he's getting a roommate.

Eventually Hodgins looks up. "Zack, I know it's asking a lot. And I realize I might have to force this on you, but I thought I'd give you the opportunity to say yes first.

"When I say it's complicated, I mean it. We – Natalie and I – we can't tell you why she suddenly needs a place to stay. And she can't stay with me, for her own safety."

He turns back to his plate and picks at his chips before picking up his pickle. "Zack, I really need for you to go along with this. I'm willing to cut your rent in half if it'll get you to agree."

And there it is, the reason he's going to agree to a roomie – the rent factor. If he says yes, he can pay his parents back that much sooner, and work on his student loans. He can get more robot supplies. He can – he can …

Next thing he knows, he's agreeing to this crazy idea.

Hodgins grins at him, and it almost seems as if he's back to his normal self. "I knew that would get you to agree," he says, taking a big bite of the pickle. "I'll bring her by around seven. Her name is Natalie."

* * *

The first thing he does after Hodgins drops him off is strip. They got a half-decomposed body in around four, and he and Dr. Brennan had spent the last hour photographing and doing prelims. He smells like rotting flesh, and while he's used to it, he knows that Natalie Hodgins probably won't be able to stomach it.

He showers and changes, then puts the phone on speaker and calls his sister.

Elizabeth answers on the third ring. "Yo, little bro-ha!" She sounds upbeat, and he's glad. He needs that enthusiasm to get him through the cleaning he has to do. _Dishes, laundry, bathrooms, living rooms …_

"What'cha up to?"

"I'm getting a roommate."

"Nooooo!"

"Yeeessss!"

"Seriously? What happened? Hodgins kick you out or something?"

He rolls his eyes. She'd talked to Hodgins once, briefly, and had hated the experience.

"No, he did not kick me out." He opens the dishwasher and begins adding dishes. "His cousin is moving back to town and needs a place to stay for a couple of months. I said she could stay with me."

He can almost hear her grin. "_She_, huh?"

"He cut my rent in half."

"Nice. _She_?"

"Oh, shut up." He adds dishwasher fluid and shuts the door. "She's his cousin, Beth. I'm not stupid."

She laughs. "We all know that, Zack."

He rolls his eyes again. _Dusting – I know I have a rag and spray somewhere…_

"So why's she staying with you? Doesn't Hodgins have a big freakin' mansion?"

"Yeah," _not in that cupboard. Wait – maybe – there they are!_ "He says it's complicated. Something about her safety, I dunno."

"So she's in danger and she's staying with you?" Laughter.

"Oh, shut up," he mutters.

"Well, bro-ha, I gotta go. Just one last thing - you do remember the rules, right?"

"Toilet seat down, don't use her shampoo, and never, ever mention PMS." He recites these from childhood memory. Having four sisters taught him a lot growing up.

"Good boy. Oh, and don't let Mom know about your roomie, Zack. She'll start planning the wedding."

"Goodbye, Lillie-beth."

"Bye!"

He's working on the second bathroom when he hears the knocking. Leaving the cleaning supplies behind, he hurriedly checks the rest of the apartment. It looks clean to him, but years of living with sisters have convinced him that girls have different standards. He hopes it looks okay for now.

Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror, he groans. Hair is sticking up everywhere, he has some dried soap on his cheek, and he has wet spots all over his clothes. He's about to change when the knocking gets even more insistent.

Deciding that appearances aren't important anyways, he heads to the door and flings it open. Hodgins is standing there, looking tired, but he smiles when he sees Zack, and quickly moves aside. The first thing Zack sees is a stack of luggage and cardboard boxes – fewer than he expected, considering. Then he catches sight of his new roommate.

Natalie Hodgins is a smaller, younger, female version of her cousin; complete with ringlets and big blue eyes. She is, Zack has to admit, extremely pretty.

And extremely nervous.

She gives him a small smile and sticks out her hand. "You must be Zack," she says."Thanks for … um … letting me room with you." She nibbles on her lip and shifts anxiously. "I know you were kinda badgered into it, and I'm sorry." She shoots Hodgins a look, but he just shrugs and looks unrepentant. "Anyway, thanks."

She looks horribly uncomfortable, and he feels the same. But he's promised Hodgins, and he won't back out of it now. And she doesn't seem fazed by his appearance, so maybe the next few months won't be so bad.

He smiles back. "Nice to meet you, Natalie."

END


End file.
